Flying Octopus - Piloted Balloon Art

This section is provided as a means of showing why we know we can accomplish the rather lofty goal of creating a piloted balloon sculpture. From our early interests in our respective fields we have continuously set higher and more dramatic targets.

This is by no means a detailed time line. It simply stresses key turning points in the development of our skills.

1985

Larry gets his first real lesson in balloon art. He learns the proper way to make a dog and is taught that no balloon creation should use more than one balloon.

1995

Larry loses interest in performing magic and focuses on just balloons. Larry's first book on balloon art comes out.

1997

John makes his first cluster balloon flight.

October 1998

John is filmed for TLC's Extreme Machines when he flies to 21,400 feet.

December 1998

Larry leads a team in Tokyo, Japan in the construction of a Nebuta sculpture using 15,000 balloons. While he and others had done large creations, this was the first of it's kind and was seen on national TV in Japan. more on the balloon nebuta

May 1999

John flies over water and ends a cluster balloon flight by landing on a boat. more on the boat landing

June 2000

Larry teams up with Royal Sorell to design two 40-foot tall soccer players using 40,000 balloons and no other materials. These were constructed with a team of 45 balloon artists in Mol, Belgium. more on the world record

June 2001

John flies not just a cluster of balloons, but a balloon sculpture. This was a sculpture of a bunch of grapes. more on John's flying grapes

August 2001

John and Larry discover each other on the Web and discuss a collaboration that will combine balloon flight with balloon art. Plans quickly develop and the team prepares for an unusual partnership.

February 2003

Larry appears on Ripley's Believe it of Not! with fellow artist, Royal Sorell. See Ripley's segment